"The set, lights, sound and music all capture the feel of the ocean," director Jamie Horton, a Dartmouth theater professor, said.
According to Willa Johann '10, the sea haunts Ellida because it serves as a constant reminder of a mysterious man from her past known only as the Stranger. Johann added that the powerful force of Ellida's fear of the Stranger's return is one of the most challenging aspects of the role.
"Ellida has a lot of fear and she's extremely haunted, and that's certainly the most challenging part trying to connect with a force that's that strong and consumes you that much," Johann said.
Portraying Ellida's mystical connection to the sea which both Johann and Horton emphasized as an integral feature of the character came to Johann more naturally, as a Long Island native.
"I fully understand that connection to the sea, the lack of salt in the air, the lack of the waves crashing," she said.
From the moment viewers enter the theater, the presence of the ocean is apparent. On first seeing at the stage, viewers are confronted with visual evidence of the sea the set, by visiting theater professor Georgi Alexi-Meskhishvili, has clearly been painstakingly designed to recall the allure of the sea. In the background, prominently displayed, is a set piece of blue fabric draped from two bars in the rafters. The fabric is made to ripple and resemble ocean waves, a likeness magnified by the addition of various lighting effects during the performance, according to Horton.
Horton also said that the play's ensemble composed of seven actors practiced executing set changes to make it appear that set pieces were being carried away by a wave, a technique they perfected with the help of movement coach Ruth Mayer.
For help capturing the sounds of the sea, Horton enlisted composer Roy Prendergast to communicate the power of the sea and enhance the intensity of the emotions conjured by the play. Having worked in Hollywood for 30 years serving as music editor for such blockbusters as "Caddyshack" (1980) and "Shakespeare in Love" (1998) Prendergast said that he is quite accustomed to using music for dramatic effect, but that the theatrical setting offers a new challenge.
Whereas the score of a film can use a wide variety of volumes and instruments to convey a message or emotion, theatrical scores are limited by the circumstances of live performance, Prendersaid said.
"On the stage it's a considerably different approach," he explained. "The music can't be thick because it will cover up the actors."
With these limitations in mind, Prendergast arranged 25 minutes of "musical backdrop" for Lady from the Sea. About 18 minutes of the score are comprised of original compositions by Prendergast, while the rest is drawn from late 19th-century Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, according to Prendergast.
With this score, Prendergast said he hopes to convey the extra layers of emotion that cannot be portrayed by actors.
"What you usually try to do with music is add something that isn't apparent on stage maybe a feeling that isn't there," he said.
To explain his purpose, he gave the hypothetical example of a moment of anger in a scene. Without music, he explained, the audience might sense the anger but not the pain behind it. A wrenching musical arrangement, however, can communicate that pain.
According to Johann, Prendergast's score also makes the emotions of "Lady from the Sea" more accessible for the actors.
The score, set and costumes add a magical element to the show, according to Johann. She cited the audience's search for the truth of the play as the top reason for attending, as viewers must try to distinguish between the elements in the play that are real and those that are mere fabrications of Ellida's mind.
While these themes may be weighty, Johann said that the play itself is not.
"It's an incredibly uplifting show. It's Ibsen's lightest show," Johann said, adding that "Lady from the Sea" is actually quite humorous and advocates women's liberation.
Horton emphasized that this notion of female liberation, as well as many other themes of the play, will resonate with modern audiences.
"Yes, it is a period piece, but one that resonates really strongly today," Horton said. "I think the notion of freedom of choice and acting on one's own responsibility is something that will really intrigue Dartmouth students."
